System and method for automatic registration notification for over-the-air activation

ABSTRACT

A method and system automatically activates a mobile station in a wireless communications network. The system includes an over the air activation function (OTAF) processor in the network that initiates an activation process in response to receiving a registration message from a mobile switching center serving the mobile station requesting the activation. Each mobile station has a unit of information stored into it at the time of its manufacture to enable it to request over the air activation. That unit of information is either the network routing address of the OTAF processor, or alternately, it is a value that is translatable into that address, either an OTAF ID number that is the same value for every mobile station or it is a sequentially serialized dummy value for the mobile identification number (a dummy MIN). When the mobile station is turned on for the first time in the network, it requests activation over the air by transmitting to the local mobile switching center a registration order. The registration order will include one of the three alternative forms of the information unit described above, either the routing address of the OTAF processor, or the OTAF ID number, or a dummy MIN.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention broadly relates to over-the-air activation ofmobile wireless telephones and more particularly relates to a method andapparatus for providing routing information to send a registrationnotification from a mobile switching center to an over-the-airactivation processor in the fixed supporting network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The term “mobile station”, as used herein, includes acomprehensive set of mobile telecommunications units that share thecommon property of communicating information with a base station in anetwork by means of electromagnetic waves. Mobile stations includemobile telephone devices such as mobile wireless telephone sets andcellular telephone sets that are primarily designed to exchange voiceinformation with a base station. The term also includes mobile datacommunications devices such as pagers, mobile facsimile machines, andglobal positioning system (GPS) vehicle locator devices that areprimarily designed to exchange data. The term “mobile station” alsoincludes hybrid devices such as personal communications services (PCS)units, that have both telephony and facsimile communications features.Communications by mobile stations can be by radio waves, such as areused in cellular radio telephony. However, mobile stations can alsocommunicate over electromagnetic links that include Earth-orbitingsatellites, or alternate electromagnetic links that include optical orinfra-red radiation.

[0003] Where the base station is connected in a fixed supporting networkto other communications nodes, the network requires routing informationfor the mobile station to enable the other communications nodes to sendinformation to the mobile station. Registration is the process used by amobile station to announce its current location and to enable the fixedsupporting network to direct incoming calls to the appropriate basestation. When a mobile station is brought into the operating range of anew base-station, the mobile station must announce its current location.In order to accomplish this, the mobile station must send a message withits mobile identity number (MIN) to the new base station. The MIN is anumber assigned to the mobile station by the fixed supporting network toenable billing the customer for services and to enable the network toroute incoming calls. The MIN must be programmed into the mobile stationprior to the first time that the unit is used by the customer. Thisprocess is called activation.

[0004] For example, normally, a mobile wireless telephone set may notinitiate or complete radio telephone calls until it is registered withand authorized for service by a service provider. Mobile wirelesstelephone service providers require that any new customer take themobile wireless telephone set to an authorized service center forprogramming so that the telephone set becomes authorized for service inthe network. Information must be entered and stored into the mobilewireless telephone set which is specific to the mobile subscriber andspecific to the desired service for the set. In cellular mobiletelephone communication services, for example, such information isreferred to as number assignment module (NAM) designation parameters.Examples of NAM parameters that the cellular telephone service providernow manually enters into the cellular telephone set include systemidentification, telephone number, access overhead class, groupidentification, initial paging channel, security lock code, local useflag, A/B system selection, and MIN mark flag. The cellular telephonecustomer must present the new cellular telephone set to the serviceprovider or a representative so that the NAM module, which constitutesapproximately 30 bytes of information, can be manually entered into thecellular telephone set. There are millions of new customers each yearfor cellular mobile telephone communication services. Hundreds ofemployees of the service provider or representative, located over a widegeographic area, are responsible for manually entering the NAM moduleinto unprogrammed cellular telephone sets for the new customers. Thisnecessitates the use of a centralized data base to assist the serviceprovider in coordinating the activation process. The service provider'semployee typically uses a workstation computer to enter the customer'sapplication data. The workstation is remotely connected to the centraldata base and sends the new customer's application data to the data basefor processing. The centralized data base may perform a credit check onthe new customer, may keep track of available services, telephonenumbers, network access data, and other information, and then assignsthe MIN to the new customer's cellular telephone set. The MIN and otherNAM parameters are transmitted by the centralized data base back to theservice provider's workstation for manual entry by the employee into thecellular telephone set. This presents a cumbersome and costly procedureboth to the customer as well as to the service provider.

[0005] Thus, there exists a need for a method and system toautomatically route activation information sent over-the-air from themobile wireless telephone set, through the fixed supporting network toan over-the-air activation processor in the network, where theactivation parameters for the NAM module can be prepared andautomatically downloaded over the network and sent over-the-air to themobile wireless cellular telephone set.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The need discussed above is satisfied by the invention, whichenables an over-the-air activation message to be automatically sent froman unprogrammed mobile station to an over-the-air activation processorin the fixed supporting network. The activation message has the formatof an ordinary registration message, but it is distinguished at themobile switching center by including distinctive information that istranslatable into the network address of the over-the-air activationprocessor. The electronic serial number of the mobile station isrecorded in the visitor location register associated with the mobileswitching center, and the activation message is directed by the mobileswitching center to a signal transfer point in the fixed supportingnetwork. The signal transfer point translates the distinctiveinformation of the activation message into the network address of theprocessor. By contrast, ordinary registration messages would be directedby the mobile switching center to the home location register for themobile station. From the signal transfer point, the activation messageis routed, along with the identity of the mobile switching center, tothe over-the-air activation processor. There the activation process isinitiated in response to the received activation message. Theover-the-air activation processor then transmits the activationparameters back to the mobile switching center, which then forwards themback to the mobile station, using the electronic serial number stored inthe associated visitor location register.

[0007] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the distinctiveinformation in the activation message is an over-the-air activationfunction ID number that is the same for every mobile station. Theover-the-air activation function ID number is programmed into the mobilestation at the time of its manufacture. During the translation by thesignal transfer point, the single valued over-the-air activationfunction ID number is translated into the network address of theover-the-air activation processor. In an alternate embodiment of theinvention, the distinctive information in the activation message is therouting address, itself, of the over-the-air activation processor.

[0008] In another alternate embodiment of the invention, the distinctiveinformation in the activation message is a sequentially serialized dummyvalue for the mobile identification number, abbreviated as “dummy MIN.”A dummy MIN is different for each mobile station. The dummy MIN isprogrammed into the mobile station at the time of its manufacture.During the translation by the signal transfer point, each distinctivedummy MIN is translated into the network address of the over-the-airactivation processor. Since there is a small likelihood that a dummy MINwill be confused as a valid MS by the signal transfer point, thisembodiment is less advantageous than the embodiment where thedistinctive information in the activation message is an over-the-airactivation function ID number.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Other features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description taken togetherwith the drawings in which:

[0010]FIG. 1 illustrates a network reference model, in accordance withthe invention.

[0011]FIG. 2 illustrates the physical architecture of the over-the-airactivation network.

[0012]FIG. 3 illustrates the information flow for over-the-airactivation registration, in accordance with the invention.

[0013]FIG. 4A is a flow diagram of the method for an advantageousembodiment of the invention for over-the-air activation using the OTAFID number.

[0014]FIG. 4B is a variation of the flow diagram of FIG. 4A, addingsteps to provide a simultaneous voice path over-the-air to the carrier'sbusiness office.

[0015]FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of the method for an alternate embodimentof the invention where a sequentially serialized dummy MIN is used inthe over-the-air activation process.

[0016]FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating the method of the inventionfor a previously activated mobile station which seeks registration in anew service area.

[0017]FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of a network signal transferpoint, in accordance with the invention.

[0018]FIG. 8A is a functional block diagram of a mobile station.

[0019]FIG. 8B illustrates plurality of mobile stations, each with thesame OTAF ID number store therein.

[0020]FIG. 8C illustrates plurality of mobile stations, each with adifferent dummy MIN stored therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The invention is a method and system for activating a mobilestation in a wireless communications network. The system includes anover the air activation processor in the network that initiates anactivation process in response to receiving a registration message froma mobile switching center serving the mobile station requesting theactivation. This activation process is referred to, herein as the“OTAF”, which is an abbreviation for “over the air activation function.”

[0022] Each mobile station has a unit of information stored into it atthe time of its manufacture to enable it to request over the airactivation. That unit of information is either the network routingaddress of the OTAF processor, or alternately, it is a value that istranslatable into that address. There are two alternatives forexpressing the value that is translatable into the routing address ofthe OTAF processor. The first alternative is an OTAF ID number that isstored in each mobile station. The same value of the OTAF ID number isstored in every mobile station. The second alternative is to store asequentially serialized dummy value for the mobile identification numberor dummy MIN. The dummy MIN is different for each mobile station.

[0023] When the mobile station is turned on for the first time in thenetwork, it cannot conduct a normal communications session with othersubscriber units because it has not been activated in the network. Inaccordance with the invention, the mobile station requests activationover the air by transmitting to the local mobile switching center aregistration order. The registration order will include one of the threealternatives described above, either the routing address of the OTAFprocessor, or the OTAF ID number, or a dummy MIN.

[0024] The local mobile switching center receives registration ordersfrom previously activated mobile stations, as well as from new mobilestations. If a previously activated mobile station is moved into thecoverage area of a local mobile switching center, the mobile stationmust become registered in the new area before it can conduct normalcommunications sessions. A previously activated mobile station will havea valid MIN which it sends in the registration order transmitted to thelocal mobile switching center. The valid MIN is not distinguished by themobile switching center from a dummy MIN. In both cases, the mobileswitching center prepares a registration notification message containingthe MIN and forwards it to the signal transfer point (STP) in thenetwork.

[0025] In accordance with the invention, the translation tables in thesignal transfer point (STP) are constructed to map all dummy MINs to thenetwork routing address of the OTAF processor. There, the activationprocess is initiated for the requesting mobile station in response tothe OTAF processor receiving the registration notification message. Arecord is created in the visitor location register (VLR) at the mobileswitching center, to enable the activation parameters resulting from theactivation process to be sent back to the mobile station, using thedummy MIN value.

[0026] Instead, if the MIN in the registration notification messagereceived by the signal transfer point (STP) is a valid MIN, thetranslation table maps the registration notification message to thenetwork routing address of the home location register (HLR) that isresponsible for handling the registration request from its assignedmobile station. This request is only for the registration of apreviously programmed phone in the new local service area, not for theactivation of a new phone.

[0027] Further in accordance with the invention, the mobile switchingcenter is able to recognize and distinguish a registration order from amobile station using the OTAF ID number to request activation. In thiscase, the mobile switching center inserts the OTAF ID number into theregistration notification message it prepares for sending to the signaltransfer point (STP). Since the OTAF ID number is the same for everymobile station, the electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobilestation, that is sent with every registration order, is also included inthe registration notification message sent to the signal transfer point.A record is created in the visitor location register (VLR) at the mobileswitching center, to enable the activation parameters resulting from theactivation process to be sent back to the mobile station using the ESN.

[0028] In accordance with the invention, the translation tables in thesignal transfer point (STP) are constructed to map the OTAF ID number tothe routing address of the OTAF processor. There, the activation processis initiated for the requesting mobile station in response to the OTAFprocessor receiving the registration notification message.

[0029] In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the unit ofinformation stored in the mobile station at the time of its manufactureto enable it to request over the air activation is the network routingaddress, itself, of the OTAF processor. In this embodiment, there is noneed for an address translation by the signal transfer point (STP). Inthis embodiment, the mobile switching center forwards the registrationnotification message directly to the OTAF processor. The identity of themobile switching center and the ESN of the mobile station is included inthe registration notification message. A record is created in thevisitor location register (VLR) at the mobile switching center, toenable the activation parameters resulting from the activation processto be sent back to the mobile station using the ESN.

[0030] Further in accordance with the invention, the subscriber of themobile station can place a simultaneous voice call to an activationcenter in the network using the mobile station. The subscriber canprovide to the activation center credit information and the subscribercan specify the types of service features wanted for the mobile station.The activation center then sends authorization data to the OTAFprocessor in response to the information received from the subscriberover the voice channel. The OTAF processor can then complete theactivation process in response to the authorization data.

[0031] Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 shows a network referencemodel for the over-the-air activation function that controls delivery ofthe over-the-air activation messages to the mobile station. The mobilestation 100 includes the mobile station (MS) and the short messageentity (SME). The mobile station 100 communicates over-the-air with thebase mobile station interworking function (BMI) which includes the basestation BS 102, the mobile switching center MSC 104, and the visitorlocation register VLR 106. The base station, BS, is connected by meansof the link A to the mobile switching center, MSC, which in turn isconnected by means of the link B to the visitor location register, VLR.Also shown in FIG. 1 is the home location register, HLR 108, which isassigned to handle the maintenance of location and business records forthe specific mobile telephone 100. The home location register 108 istypically located at a geographically remote location from the BMIcurrently servicing over-the-air communications with the mobile station100. The HLR is connected by means of the link D to the VLR 106. Alsoshown in FIG. 1 is the over-the-air activation function OTAF 110′ whichis connected by means of a link Q2 to the mobile switching center 104and is also connected by means of the link D2 to the home locationregister 108. The. OTAF function 110′ performs activation processing inresponse to a registration order from the mobile station 100 which hasnot previously been activated, and downloads activation parameters inthe form of NAM parameters to the mobile station 100. The links A, B, D,D2, Q2, and UM shown in FIG. 1 are interfaces between network entities,as defined in the standard TIA IS-41, revision C ANSI ballot version,Jan. 3, 1996.

[0032]FIG. 2 illustrates the over-the-air activation physicalarchitecture. The mobile station 100 communicates over-the-air with thelocal base station 102, using the IS-136 standard. This standard isdocumented in TIA IS-136 Revision A, Mar. 21, 1996. The base station102, the mobile switching center 104, and the visitor location register106, are typically co-located at a local base station complex. The MSC104 communicates over the fixed supporting network to the signaltransfer point, STP 114, which in turn will forward messages from theMSC 104 to either the home location register, HLR 108, or alternately tothe over-the-air activation function processor, OTAF processor 10. TheVLR 106 at the base station complex can also directly access aparticular HLR 108 in the fixed supporting network. Also shown in FIG. 2is an activation center 112 which includes business systems and billingsystems which are connected in the fixed supporting network to the OTAFprocessor 110 and to the HLR 108.

[0033] The over-the-air activation feature requires a notification besent from the MSC 104 to the OTAF processor 110. This registrationnotification is via an IS-41 message on the Signaling System 7 (SS7)network. The fixed supporting network requires routing information to beable to send the registration notification from the MSC 104 to theproper network node, which in this case is the OTAF processor 110. Inaccordance with the invention, the mobile stations 100 arepre-programmed with information at the time of their manufacture to beable to request over-the-air activation. The unit of programmedinformation is either the network routing address of the OTAF processor110 or alternately it is a value that is translatable into that address.When the unactivated mobile station 100 powers up in the network, themobile station requests activation over-the-air by transmitting to thelocal mobile switching center 104 a registration order that includes oneof the three alternatives for pre-programmed information, either therouting address of the OTAF processor 110, or the OTAF ID number, or adummy MIN value. The MSC 104 then forwards this information through thenetwork to the over-the-air activation function processor 110.

[0034] In a previously activated mobile station 100, that is a mobilestation 100 that has been programmed with a valid mobile identificationnumber MIN, the registration order transmitted over-the-air contains themobile station's MIN, encoded in an IS-136 mobile station ID (MSID).(See the standard TIA IS-136 revision A, Mar. 21, 1996). The IS-136standard specifies rules for encoding the MIN into the MSID. The MSID issent in layer 2 of the registration order which is described in theIS-41 standard. Typically this operation takes place for a previouslyactivated mobile station 100 which is moved into the coverage area ofthe local mobile switching center 104 and must become registered in thenew area before it can conduct normal communication sessions. Theregistration notification is carried in the mobile application part(MAP) layer of the SS7 transport, as is specified in the IS-41 standard.

[0035] Cellular telephone networks use the global title translation(GTT) on the MIN at the signal transfer point 114 in a fixed supportingnetwork, to route IS-41 messages to the home location register, HLR 108,in normal communications sessions. Global title translation (GTT) isdescribed in the standard ANSI T1.112-1992, SS7, Signalling ConnectionControl Part (SCCP). The global title indicator type 2 is used, with atranslation type value of 3 to specify the “MIN to HLR” translation inthe STP 114. The global title address information field contains the tendigit MIN (BCD encoded). For Example, the MSC 104 and the VLR 106 willsend the registration notification to the signal transfer point 114,which performs the GTT translation on the MN to obtain routinginformation in the form of a point code and subsystem number in thefixed supporting network, to the HLR 108. Thus, in normal communicationssessions, the registration notification is routed from the MSC 104 andVLR 106 to the HLR 108 which is responsible for the specified MN fromthe requesting mobile station 100.

[0036] When a mobile station 100 has not previously been activated, theNAM parameters have not been loaded to the mobile station and there isno corresponding HLR record in any HLR 108 the fixed supporting networkfor that mobile station. The unactivated mobile station 100 does nothave a valid MIN stored in it. If the unactivated mobile stationattempts 100 registration, there is no corresponding HLR 108 associatedwith that mobile station. Since there is no valid MIN in the mobilestation 100, the global title translation cannot be performed in thesignal transfer point 114 in the fixed supporting network. This wouldnormally prevent over-the-air activation since it would not be possiblein the prior art to communicate over-the-air activation requests fromthe mobile station 100 to an OTAF processor 110 in the fixed supportingnetwork. Correspondingly, it would not be possible download NAMactivation parameters from the OTAF processor 110 to the mobile station100. During the over-the-air activation process, the OTAF processor 110must deliver the NAM parameters to the mobile station 100. In order todo this, the over-the-air activation function processor 110 must have anaddress of the serving MSC 104 plus the mobile station must haveregistration information in the VLR 106 of the serving MSC 104. Inaccordance with the invention, mobile stations 100 will bepre-programmed with information at the time of their manufacture toenable them to request over-the-air activation. That unit of informationis either the network routing address of the OTAF processor 110, oralternately it is a value that is translatable into that address. Thereare two alternatives for expressing the value that is translatable intothe routing address to the OTAF processor 110, the first being an OTAFID number that is stored in each mobile station 100. The same value ofthe OTAF ID number is stored in every mobile station 100. The secondalternative is to store a sequentially serialized dummy value for themobile identification number, called a dummy MIN. The dummy MIN isdifferent for each mobile station 100.

[0037] In the advantageous embodiment of the invention, an OTAF IDnumber is stored in each mobile station 100. The OTAF ID number is a tendigit E.164 telephony number, using BCD encoding. The format followsstandard IS-41 digit encoding (such as used in the IS-41 SenderIdentification Number). This standard format is described further in theCCITT Blue Book, Volume II-Fascicle II.2, Telephone Network andISDN—Operation Numbering, Routing and Mobile Service, RecommendationE.164; Numbering Plan for the ISDN Era. The OTAF ID number is an addresswhich appears as a directory number for the OTAF processor 110, but isused only for routing and is a non-dialable number not supporting voicecircuits. The registration order in the IS-136 standard is modified tocarry the OTAF ID number in the air interface message. In addition, themobile station 100 must supply an MSID value in the message to uniquelyidentify the mobile station sending the message. This MSID value isconstructed using the electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobilestation 100, as is specified in the IS-136 standard. This standardspecifies how and MSID is to be constructed if a mobile station does nothave a valid MIN.

[0038] Upon receipt of the air interface registration order, the MSC 104and VLR 106 construct an IS-41 registration notification message usingthe information supplied in the air interface registration order fromthe mobile station 100. The MSC 104 recognizes that the mobile station100 supplied an OTAF ID number, and thus the MIN field is not populatedin the registration notification message. The OTAF ID number is includedin the Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP) layer of the mobileapplication part (MAP) of the IS-41 message. The SCCP layer is describedin the published standard ANSI T1.112 Signalling System No. 7(SS7)—Signalling Connection Control Point (SCCP). The MSC 104 and VLR106 then send the registration notification message to the signaltransfer point 114 in the fixed supporting network. The VLR 106 alsocreates a record of the mobile station 100 using the ESN and the MSIDfor the mobile station 100.

[0039] The STP 114 receives the registration notification message andrecognizes that it is to perform the global title translation (GTT) onthe OTAF ID number, in order to get the fixed supporting network addressof the OTAF processor 110. A new translation type has to be used for the“OTAF ID number to OTAF processor” translation. The STP 114 translatesthe OTAF ID number into the routing address information (PC/SSN) for theOTAF processor 110 in the fixed supporting network, and a registrationnotification message is forwarded to the OTAF processor 110.

[0040] This routing mechanism, in accordance with the invention, allowsfor routing a registration notification message without the need to havea mobile identification number MIN preprogrammed into the mobile station100.

[0041] The information flow diagram of FIG. 3 illustrates theover-the-air activation registration flow for activation registrationusing the global title translation on the OTAF ID number. The figure isorganized with the vertical axis representing time and the horizontalaxis representing messages passing between the mobile station 100(labeled MS), the mobile switching center 104 (labeled MSC), the signaltransfer point. 114 (labeled STP), and the OTAF processor 110 (labeledOTAF). When a subscriber powers up a mobile station MS, the mobilestation engages in an acquisition phase to obtain a channel assignmentfrom the base station, which is identified in the FIG. 3 as systemoverhead. Then the mobile station MS sends an IS-136 registration order(message A) to the MSC 104 containing the OTAF ID number (designatedOTAF ID in FIG. 3).

[0042] Then the MSC 104 receives the registration order (message A) fromthe air interface and it formats an IS-41 registration notification(message B) identified as “REGNOT” in FIG. 3. The MSC 104 sends theREGNOT to the STP 114 for routing.

[0043] Then the STP 114 performs a global title translation on the OTAFID number (OTAF ID) and routes the REGNOT (message C) to the OTAFprocessor 110.

[0044] The OTAF processor 110 processes the REGNOT and returns a REGNOTreturn result (message D) to the MSC 104.

[0045]FIG. 3 also shows an MS originate attempt where the mobile stationMS attempts to originate a voice connection to the fixed supportingnetwork. The simultaneous voice origination attempt and registrationorder will take place in the four step sequence of messages E, F, G, andH shown in FIG. 3, which is the same as the four step sequence ofmessages A, B, C, and D previously described for FIG. 3.

[0046]FIG. 4A illustrates a flow diagram of a sequence of operationalsteps for carrying out over-the-air activation using an OTAF ID number.Step 402 begins by programming the over-the-air function ID number intoa new mobile station 100 at the time of manufacture.

[0047] Step 404 in FIG. 4A has the mobile station 100 turn on the unit'spower for the first time in the network. Then in step 406, mobilestation 100 prepares the registration order message to include the OTAFID number and the ESN. Then in step 408, the mobile station 100transmits station 100 a registration order over-the-air to the basestation and the mobile switching center.

[0048] In step 410 of FIG. 4A, the mobile switching center 104 detectsthe OTAF ID number and inserts it into the registration notificationmessage along with the ESN, which it then sends to the STP 114 in theSS7 network. The MSC 104 also puts the ESN into a VLR record in the VLR106.

[0049] Then step 412 of FIG. 4A has the STP 114 translate the OTAF IDnumber into a routing address to the OTAF processor 110. The STP sendsthe registration notification message to the OTAF processor 110 in thenetwork.

[0050] In step 414 of FIG. 4A has the OTAF processor 110 initiate theactivation process for the mobile station 100. In step 416, the OTAFprocessor 110 sends the activation parameters in the form of the NAMparameters, for the mobile station, back to the mobile switching center104.

[0051] Then step 418 of FIG. 4A has the mobile switching center 104 andbase station 102 transmit the activation parameters over-the-air to themobile station 100 using the VLR record in the VLR 106 to identify whichmobile station 100 is intended to receive the activation parameters.

[0052]FIG. 4B illustrates a flow diagram of a variation in the methodshown in FIG. 4A, wherein step 414′ has the OTAF processor 110 initiatethe activation process for the mobile station 100 and then wait forauthorization from the business office activation center 112, shown inFIG. 2.

[0053] Step 415 of FIG. 4B has a voice path established over-the-air bythe mobile station subscriber. The mobile station subscriber places asimultaneous call over-the-air to the carrier's business officeactivation center 112, using a special dialed number such as“1-800-ACTIVATE”. The subscriber can provide to the business officeactivation center 112 credit information and the subscriber can specifythe types of service features wanted for the mobile service. Thebusiness office activation center 112 then sends authorization data tothe OTAF processor 110.

[0054] Step 416′ of FIG. 4B then has the OTAF processor 110 complete theactivation process and send the activation parameters for the mobilestation back to the mobile switching center 104. Then step 418 of FIG.4B has the mobile switching center 104 and base station 102 transmit theactivation parameters over-the-air to the mobile station 100.

[0055]FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram of a sequence of operationalsteps for an alternate embodiment of the invention, wherein each newmobile station 100 is programmed at the time of manufacture with asequentially serialized dummy MIN mobile ID number. This is shown instep 502 of FIG. 5. Step 504 has the mobile station 100 turn the unit'spower for the first time in the network. Step 506 has a mobile station100 prepare registration order message to include the dummy MIN. Step508 has the mobile station 100 transmit the registration orderover-the-air to the base station and mobile switching center 104.

[0056] Step 510 of FIG. 5 has the MSC 104 prepare registrationnotification message with the dummy MIN. This operation is the same asif the mobile station 100 were requesting a normal registration for apreviously activated mobile station, the mobile switching center 104being unable to distinguish between a dummy MIN and a valid MIN. Themobile switching center 104 then sends the registration notificationmessage to the STP 114 in the SS7 network. The MSC 104 puts the dummyMIN into a VLR record in the VLR 106. In step 512, the STP 114translates all dummy MINs into the routing address of the OTAF processor110. All of the plurality of sequentially serialized dummy MIN valuesare translated by the STP 114 into a single OTAF processor address inthe fixed supporting network. Then the STP 114 sends the registrationnotification message to the OTAF processor 110.

[0057] Then step 514 of FIG. 5 has the OTAF processor 110 initiate theactivation process for the mobile station 100. In step 516, the OTAFprocessor 110 sends the activation parameters for the mobile stationback to the MSC 104.

[0058] Then in step 518 of FIG. 5, the MSC 104 and base station 102transmit the activation parameters over-the-air to the mobile station100 using the VLR record in VLR 106 to identify with the dummy MIN whichmobile station 100 is the intended recipient for the activationparameters.

[0059]FIG. 6 is flow diagram of the sequence of operational steps for apreviously activated mobile station 100 having a valid MIN, which seeksregistration in a new service area.

[0060] In step 602, the previously activated mobile station 100 seeksregistration in the new services area. In step 604, the mobile station100 turns on the unit's power in the network. In step 606 the mobilestation 100 prepares a registration order message to include the validmobile identification number (MIN). In step 608, the mobile station 100transmits the registration order over-the-air to the base station 102and MSC 104. In step 610, the MSC 104 prepares the registrationnotification message with the valid MIN and sends it to the STP 114 inthe SS7 network. The MSC also puts the valid MIN in a VLR record in VLR106. In step 612, the STP 114 translates the valid MIN into the routingaddress of the HLR 108 assigned to the mobile station 100. The STP 114sends the registration notification message to the HLR 108. In step 614,the HLR 108 initiates the registration process for the mobile stationfor the new service area. In step 616, the HLR 108 sends the newregistration information for MS 100 back to the MSC 104. In step 618,the VLR 106 updates the new registration information and begins localservice to the mobile station 100 using the VLR record.

[0061]FIG. 7 illustrates the STP 114 and its translation table 700 andshows how a plurality of dummy MINs having different, sequentiallyserialized values, are translated in translation 702 into a single OTAFaddress. FIG. 7 shows several example translations of input expressionsin the dialed number format to output Signaling System 7 (SS7) networkaddresses. For example, the dialed number “911” input to the translationtable 700, is translated into the SS7 network address of emergencyservices. As another example, the dialed number “1-800-ACTIVATE” inputto the translation table 700, is translated, into the SS7 networkaddress of the business office activation center 112 shown in FIG. 2. Asanother example, the dialed number format for the valid MIN “VALIDMIN-5” input to the translation table 700, is translated into the SS7network address of the HLR-5 home location register for that MIN. Asanother example, the dialed number format for the valid MIN “VALIDMIN-6” input to the translation table 700, is translated into the SS7network address of the different HLR-6 home location register for thatdifferent valid MIN. In accordance with the invention, all of the dummyMINs are translated by the translation 702 in the translation table 700into the network address of the OTAF processor 110. Still further inaccordance with the invention, the OTAF ID number is translated by thetranslation table 700 into the SS7 network address of the OTAF processor110.

[0062]FIG. 8A shows a schematic diagram of a mobile station 100 with apreprogrammed OTAF ID number 810 or alternately with a pre-programmeddummy MIN 832. Mobile station 100 includes RF transmit and receivecircuits, digital circuits, and voice circuits. Mobile station 100 alsoincludes the RAM memory 806 which stores the NAM parameters in the NAMregister after they are downloaded over the air from the OTAF processor110. Mobile station 100 also includes the programmable read only memory(ROM) 808 that is programmed at the time of manufacture with the ESN andwith the OTAF ID number 810. In the alternate embodiment of theinvention, mobile station 100 alternately includes the programmable ROM830 (shown in dotted outline in FIG. 8A) that is programmed at the timeof manufacture with the ESN and with a sequentially serialized dummy MIN832.

[0063]FIG. 8B shows how a plurality of mobile stations 100, 100′, and100″ are all preprogrammed with the identical OTAF ID number 810, in theadvantageous embodiment.

[0064]FIG. 8C shows how a plurality of mobile stations 100, 100′, and100″ in the alternate embodiment, are preprogrammed with mutuallydifferent dummy MIN values 832, 832′, and 832″.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for activating a mobile station in awireless communications network comprising the steps of: receiving at anetwork node a registration message including information translatableinto an address for an over the air activation processor; translatingsaid information into said address; routing said registration, messageto said over the air activation processor; initiating an activationprocess at said over the air activation processor in response to saidreceived registration message; and transmitting activation parameters tosaid mobile station in response to said activation process.
 2. Themethod of claim 1 wherein said network node receives a plurality of saidregistration messages from a plurality of mobile stations, each of theplurality of registration messages including the same said informationtranslatable into said address.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein saidinformation translatable into said address is an OTAF ID number.
 4. Themethod of claim 1 wherein said network node receives a plurality of saidregistration messages from a plurality of mobile stations, each of theplurality of registration messages including mutually distinct saidinformation translatable into said address.
 5. The method of claim 4,wherein said information translatable into said address is a dummy MIN.6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: establishing avoice channel between said mobile station and an activation center;sending authorization data from said activation center to said over theair activation processor in response to information received from saidvoice channel; and completing said activation process in response tosaid authorization data.
 7. A method for activating a mobile station ina wireless communications network comprising the steps of: receiving ata network node a registration message including an address for an overthe air activation processor; routing said registration message to saidover the air activation processor; initiating an activation process atsaid over the air activation processor in response to said receivedregistration message; and transmitting activation parameters to saidmobile station in response to said activation process.
 8. The method ofclaim 7 wherein said network node receives a plurality of saidregistration messages from a plurality of mobile stations, each of theplurality of registration messages including the same said address. 9.The method of claim 7 wherein said network node receives a plurality ofsaid registration messages from a plurality of mobile stations, each ofthe plurality of registration messages including mutually distinctvalues of said address.
 10. The method of claim 7 further comprising thesteps of: establishing a voice channel between said mobile station andan activation center; sending authorization data from said activationcenter to said over the air activation processor in response toinformation received from said voice channel; and completing saidactivation process in response to said authorization data.
 11. A systemfor activating a mobile station in a wireless communications network,comprising: an over the air activation processor in a network; a mobileswitching center at a node in said network, receiving a registrationmessage including information translatable into an address for said overthe air activation processor; and a signal transfer point coupled tosaid mobile switching center in said network, translating saidinformation into said address; said signal transfer point routing saidregistration message to said over the air activation processor in saidnetwork; said over the air activation processor initiating an activationprocess in response to said received registration message and causingtransmission of parameters to said mobile station.
 12. The system ofclaim 11 wherein said mobile switching center receives a plurality ofsaid registration messages from a plurality of mobile stations, each ofthe plurality of registration messages including the same saidinformation translatable into said address.
 13. The system of claim 12,wherein said information translatable into said address is an OTAF IDnumber.
 14. The system of claim 11 wherein said mobile switching centerreceives a plurality of said registration messages from a plurality ofmobile stations, each of the plurality of registration messagesincluding mutually distinct said information translatable into saidaddress.
 15. The system of claim 14, wherein said informationtranslatable into said address is a dummy MIN.
 16. The system of claim11 further comprising: an activation center in said network having avoice channel established with said mobile station; said activationcenter sending authorization data to said over the air activationprocessor in response to information received from said voice channel;and said over the air activation processor completing said activationprocess in response to said authorization data.
 17. A system foractivating a mobile station in a wireless communications network,comprising: an over the air activation processor in a network; and amobile switching center at a node in said network, receiving aregistration message including an address for said over the airactivation processor; said mobile switching center causing a routing ofsaid registration message in said network to said over the airactivation processor; said over the air activation processor initiatingan activation process in response to said received registration messageand causing transmission of parameters to said mobile station.
 18. Thesystem of claim 17 wherein said mobile switching center receives aplurality of said registration messages from a plurality of mobilestations, each of the plurality of registration messages including thesame said address.
 19. The system of claim 17 wherein said mobileswitching center receives a plurality of said registration messages froma plurality of mobile stations, each of the plurality of registrationmessages including mutually distinct values of said address.
 20. Thesystem of claim 17 further comprising: an activation center in saidnetwork having a voice channel established with said mobile station;said activation center sending authorization data to said over the airactivation processor in response to information received from said voicechannel; and said over the air activation processor completing saidactivation process in response to said authorization data.